Thank Heaven for Little Girls . . .

. . . because they grow up into caring women.

(My title is the name of a song from the wonderful musical, Gigi.)

I remember the conversation as though it happened yesterday. My brother, David, the closest of three to me in age told me when he was about eleven, “A girl can’t be president. No way.” I was thirteen. It ticked me off then, but a part of me believed it. The evidence was certainly in his favor.

When I was fourteen, my mother made me play hooky from school one day to go hear Gloria Steinem speak. She’d gone to Smith; so had Mama and I. At the time, I thought she’d make a marvelous president.

So as I write this, it’s February 5th, Super Tuesday in some parlance. Presidential Primary Day for 21 states, and there’s a girl running for president. Or, she was a girl who grew up into a woman who cares about our country.

To be honest, as a registered Democrat, I struggled with whether to vote for Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. I really like Obama’s hopeful ideology for our country. I also like Clinton’s experience. If I could mix them together like ingredients in a recipe, that would be the perfect candidate for me.

After I voted, and no, I’m not going to reveal for whom, I remembered the conversation with my brother. It came to me that it doesn’t really matter to me which of the Democrats wins the nomination, I can vote for either of them with a full heart.

The most important thing about Senator Clinton’s bid for the Presidency is that she's doing it. She's doing it for real, viably, ethically, elegantly, and yes, she’s a woman.

Hillary Clinton, bless her heart, has changed presidential politics in the United States forever. I’m certain there will be a woman president someday. If not now, then within the many years I have left on the planet. So I say, thank heaven for little girls who grow up into caring candidates.